Pixar Fest 2024: The Best Food and Treats at the Big Disneyland Celebration

To learn more about what guests can expect from Pixar Fest 2024 in terms of food, we had the chance to hear from Chef John State, Disney’s Culinary Director, about this year’s offerings and how they came to be.

“There is a recipe that we use to help get us to the goal line when we’re developing these ideas and there are three main ingredients,” State shared. “The first one is collaboration and you’ll hear that a lot throughout Pixar Fest – the fact that it’s better together. Then, you have to take the fun seriously. It was just cool to drill down to help bring those characters to life. And then you have to do your homework. You have to watch the films. I can’t tell you how many people I talked to that went back and re-watched to learn something even more than they didn’t already recognize the first time.”

All of these ingredients lend to dishes that feel so much more than food. They feel like they were pulled right out of the world of these beloved Pixar films and are ones you could actually try if you were pulled into Monsters, Inc., Up, or Inside Out. Speaking of Monsters, Inc., there’s one behind-the-scenes story that truly shows how much love and care is put into each creation, and this comes courtesy of Disney’s David Nguyen.

He shared with me that the Shake 2319, which is inspired by George Sanderson and the time he got a sock on himself and caused a wide-spread panic. When creating the dessert, they topped the vanilla, orange, guava, and pineapple shake with whipped cream, orange coconut shavings to represent his fur, an ice cream cone for his horn, and a chocolate sock. However, they soon realized that, if he had that sock on him, the CDA would come and shave off his fur (i.e. coconut shavings) and he’d be left with just his skin (i.e. whipped cream). So, to avoid another emergency situation, they chose to let George shine and keep things consistent! It’s all about the little things!

Ratatouille Pizzetta (Available May 10 – August 4 at Gusteau’s To-Go at Disney California Adventure Park’s Pixar Fest Marketplaces)

This was a DELIGHT. Not only was it an adorably-sized pizza with a beautiful array of Ratatouille (eggplant, squash, and zucchini) on the front, but it also comes with a wedge of French Camembert cheese that adds a great depth of creamy flavor that brings up what would otherwise be a run-of-the-mill pizza. This dish really shows how a link back to a story and some small touches can elevate the food we experience.

Supper Club Chicken & Potato Waffles (Available May 10 – August 4 at The Spark inspired by ‘Soul’ at Disney California Adventure’s Pixar Fest Marketplace)

This play on chicken and waffles was a fun journey of flavors that is inspired by jazz. The popcorn chicken has a satisfying crisp to it and the potato waffle is accompanied by a peach cobbler sauce and cinnamon-herb crumble. It’s a dance of sweet and savory that may not have been my favorite dish, but it is one I’m glad I tried.

Fried Bologna Sandwich (Available April 26 – August 4 at Disneyland’s Carnation Café)

Sometimes it’s hard to beat the simple things in life, and this Up-inspired Fried Bologna Sandwich is the epitome of that notion. There’s nothing revolutionary going on here, but it, much like the Ratatouille did for Anton Ego, brought me right back to my childhood when my Dad would take us to get sandwiches like these which he loved so much. While I LOVE when Disney and Pixar go all out with their creativity, there’s nothing wrong with perfecting the basics by throwing some fried bologna, Monterey Jack cheese, mustard, and mayo on some wonderful white bread.

Huarache (Available April 26 – August 4 at Disney California Adventure’s Recuerdame at Paradise Garden Grille)

This plant-based meal inspired by Coco is a Huarache with soy chorizo beans and seasoned steak tips and it’s all topped with lettuce, cheese, avocado crema, and tomatillo salsa. I really enjoyed the flavors going on here and it had a little bit of a kick with the salsa, but it felt a bit mushy and some of the ingredients got lost in the process. I’d be hard-pressed to tell this wasn’t meat if I wasn’t told, but I wish the base was a bit more solid.

‘Smoked Fire Wood’ BBQ-Spiced Impossible Chicken (Available May 10 – August 4 at Elemental Table at Disney California Adventure’s Pixar Fest Marketplace)

This was the highlight for me at our tasting event during the Pixar Fest preview and I would never have been able to tell this wasn’t actually chicken. The Impossible Chicken was formed into a perfectly crispy and delicious patty and they were topped with a tangy hot mustard sauce, some pickles with a spectacular crunch, and charred onions that really made it feel like it could have been created by a fire family like Ember’s from Elemental. The flavors were not only strong and bold, but they stood side-by-side and let their strengths glow. I went back for seconds and thirds of this dish because it was that good.

Mood Swing Mac & Cheese (Available May 10 – August 4 at Hanger Management inspired by ‘Inside Out’ at Disney California Adventure’s Pixar Fest Marketplace)

This Mood Swing Mac & Cheese definitely wins the Pixar Fest 2024 Creativity Award that I just made up as I’m typing this. While you can get these two types of mac & cheese separately, Mood Swing brings the Joyful Yellow Comforting Mac & Cheese with happy cheesy puffs and the Angry Red Hot Mac & Cheese with spicy cheese crunch together for a warring flavor battle in your mouth. It was such a fun thing to try some of the happy yellow mac & cheese with an airy cheese poof and just savor the creamy cheesy flavor and then try the very red mac & cheese with what looked like a hot Cheeto and get wonderfully attacked by an actually pretty spicy dish. I then tried them both together and the creaminess of Joy’s mac & cheese calmed down the rage of Anger’s mac & cheese and it was another enjoyable way to enjoy this dish. Highly recommended.

Gusteau Macaron (Available May 10 – August 4 at Gusteau’s To-Go inspired by ‘Ratatouille’ at Disney California Adventure’s Pixar Fest Marketplace)

This macaron filled with crème brûlée mousse and a caramel center literally made me gasp with how incredible it looked. The already delicious looking macaron has Gusteau’s To-Go logo on it and it just made me so, so happy. I was then overjoyed when I discovered it wasn’t all looks as it tasted just as great. You start with the crème brûlée around the edges and the caramel center is a nice surprise when you get to it that adds another level of flavor that builds to just a stellar dessert Remy would be proud of.

Red Panda Bao (Available May 10 – August 4 at 4*Town Fav*4*ites inspired by ‘Turning Red’ at Disney California Adventure’s Pixar Fest Marketplace)

When you look at this bao, you just know it’s from Turning Red. It’s a massive bao that has a chile-garlic sauce on top of it and a red color that just screams Mei. It is filled with pork and vegetables and has a nice balance between heat on the outside and a good hearty filling on the inside. I wish it had a bit more of a flavor punch, but the bao itself was soft and pillowy and it just looks so good.

Kol Nut Whoopie Cookie Pie (Available May 10 – August 4 at Elemental Table at Disney California Adventure’s Pixar Fest Marketplace)

These cake cookies baked with cocoa powder are filled with a cream cheese frosting that looks like bright lava and it’s topped with crushed cinnamon candies that add to the fiery look and taste. These were very thick and I found them to be very dense and filling. It had a good flavor and it looked great, but it was a bit heavy for me and I wish the cinnamon had a more pronounced flavor.

Sea Monster Friends Parfait inspired by ‘Luca’ (Available April 26 – August 4 at Disneyland’s Jolly Holiday Bakery Café)

The Sea Monster Friends Parfait is like the ocean and beach in a cup and it is just SO great looking. There is a base of graham cracker crumbs for the sand, mascarpone cheesecake for the white of the waves, and a berry blue gelatin and blue Chantilly for the ocean. For the proverbial cherry-on-top, guests will find a delicious chocolate disc with Luca and Alberto swimming atop it. It’s a very sweet treat, but if that doesn’t scare you away from diving into this one, I can’t recommend it enough as the cheesecake and crumbs pair so nicely with the texture of the gelatin and the cream on top.

Pixar Fest Cotton Candy (Available April 26 – August 4 at Outdoor Vending Carts at Disney California Adventure)

Guests walking around Disney California Adventure will get to try the exclusive Pixar Fest Cotton Candy, which surprisingly tastes like marshmallows. It is blue and yellow so I was hoping for another flavor to balance it out, but that was not the case and the flavor was a bit strong for me. I much prefer regular cotton candy, but it sure does look good!

Shake 2319 inspired by ‘Monsters, Inc.’ (Available April 26 – August 4 at Disney California Adventure’s Schmoozies!)

You can read all about the behind-the-scenes story of this tasty milkshake above, but here I’ll tell you that it is a vanilla, orange, guava, and pineapple treat that has shaved coconut, whipped cream, and an ice cream cone on top. It’s all arranged in such a way to look like George Sanderson from Monsters, Inc. and it is just such a fun treat that is also so refreshing with its coldness and tropical flavors. It’s one of those dishes that you almost feel bad eating because it looks so great but then you remember that you deserve to treat yourself.

Junkyard Jamboree Churro inspired by ‘Cars’ (Available April 26 – August 4 at Disney California Adventure’s Cozy Cone Motel 1 – Churros)

Sometimes something sounds like a great idea and looks so fun but just doesn’t quite come together. For me, this was the Junkyard Jamboree Churro. This churro, which is dusted in chocolate-espresso sugar, is topped with a drizzle of ‘chocolate engine oil sauce and topped with ‘candy parts’ like sour gummy rings and worms and M&Ms. It all sounds fun, and I bet kids will LOVE it if they can handle the mild coffee taste, but it just kind of tastes like a churro that had a bunch of random things dropped on it. All the flavors and textures didn’t work together so well for me as I didn’t love chewing through the churro and then having to take a ton more bites for the gummies.

With all that being said, Disneyland churros are still the best so it’s not like a regret trying it or anything!

There were a few food items that we got to see on display but didn’t get to try, and I just have to point them out to you because they look so great.

Nemo and Baby Dory Cake Pop (Available July 5 – August 4 at various candy locations around Disneyland Resort, including Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff, Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen, and Trolley Treats)

These may be the cutest cake pops I have ever seen in my entire life and I’m not exaggerating. First up we will talk about the Nemo Cake Pop that is vanilla-flavored and point out how Nemo even has his lucky fin. Then, you throw in Baby Dory with her big eyes and markings we all know from the film and you have a true winning combination. I can’t get over these cake pops and I sent them to everyone I know and now I’m so happy you now know of them too.

The Marigold Bridge inspired by ‘Coco’ (Available April 26 – August 18)at Disneyland’s Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante)

Sometimes you come across a piece of food that takes your breath away and this Marigold Bridge cupcake that’s inspired by Coco was one of them. It is absolutely stunning and evokes the bridge from Coco where the dead cross back to the world of the living to visit their loved ones. It brought back all the feelings I had while watching Coco, and I could hear the music playing in the background as I was transported to that beautiful flower-filled walkway that keeps us connected to those that mean the most to us.

As for the cupcake itself, it is a tri-colored white sponge treat with cinnamon croquantine, cinnamon mouse, and cream cheese frosting all decorated with a chocolate bridge and orange chocolate shavings. A true work of art that I can’t wait to try.

Portorosso Pesto Pasta (Available May 10 – August 4 at Portorosso Pasta inspired by ‘Luca’ at Disney California Adventure’s Pixar Fest Marketplace)

The scene where Giulia’s dad serves Luca and Alberto some pesto pasta in Luca is one of the most memorable and hilarious scenes from the film and soon you’ll be able to try a variation of it at the Pixar Fest Marketplace. This pasta that is jumping from the big screen to Disney California Adventure is ribbon pasta tossed in basil pesto with potatoes and green beans and just screams authenticity. If you loved Luca like I did, this is one to put on your list.

Pixar Cake and Pixar Cake Pop (Pixar Fest Cake Available April 26 – August 4 at Disneyland’s Plaza Inn/Pixar Ball Cake Pop Avaialble May 31 – July 4 at Candy Locations Around Disneyland)

These two deserts are two of the centerpieces of Pixar Fest as they feature the iconic Pixar Logo on them. I wasn’t able to try the cake, but it is a returning favorite from 2018 with layers of yellow, blue, and red vanilla sponge cake alongside cream cheese fosting and a chocolate Pixar Ball decoration.

As for the Cake Pop, this treat is a vanilla cake pop dipped in yellow-colored white chocolate with blue sanding sugar and a red fondant star.

We’ll be updating this article with new additions to Pixar Fest throughout the next few months, so be sure to check back often! Until then, you can check out the full Disney Eats Foodie Guide for Pixar Fest 2024!

Also, this guide is only one part of our Pixar Fest pre